Zero Emission Zones

Zack Polanski: I understand that you are now refreshing guidance on Zero Emission Zones (ZEZ) with a view to using these to address future hotspots of pollution. What is the likely scale of future ZEZ areas, and how many do you expect to be proposed?

The Mayor: In proposal 35 of my Mayoral Transport Strategy (2018), I outlined an ambition for local Zero Emission Zones (ZEZs) to be implemented from 2020, for there to be a central London ZEZ from 2025 and larger ZEZs in inner London by 2040. In spring 2020, Beech Street in the City of London became London’s first zero emission street. The City is continuing to develop plans for a larger ZEZ, in partnership with Transport for London (TfL) and the European Funded ReVeAL project. These schemes build on the early success of Hackney’s Ultra Low Emission Streets scheme in Shoreditch.
TfL is working with local authorities and Business Improvement Districts across London to support the delivery of further local ZEZs, which will vary in size in response to different local circumstances and ambitions. TfL is refreshing the guidance on ZEZs as part of this, including learnings from early ZEZ activity and information about potential funding opportunities.

Electric Vehicles and London (4)

Leonie Cooper: How will you strategically support the use of electric vehicles in London?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has led the way with electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure delivery in London, delivering more than 300 rapid charging points by the end of 2020 and working with London Councils to roll out residential on-street charging points. Charge point delivery continues to accelerate despite the impact of COVID-19. In March 2020, there were 5,078 electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs), including 435 rapid charge points. By March 2021, the total number had risen to 7,258, including 605 rapid EVCPs.
TfL will draw on the expertise of my EV Infrastructure Taskforce and other stakeholders to explore how best to continue the delivery of EV infrastructure to meet expected demand. This will be outlined in my upcoming EV infrastructure strategy, which will set out how the public and private sectors can further support the delivery of EV infrastructure and remove barriers to charge point implementation.

West Hampstead Tube Station Step-Free access

Anne Clarke: What is the latest on plans to deliver step-free access at West Hampstead’s Jubilee Line Station? Can any proceeds from nearby developments be earmarked for this work?

The Mayor: A feasibility study for making West Hampstead station step-free was completed in November 2019 and detailed several options to make the station step-free. However, there is currently no funding available within Transport for London’s (TfL) business plan to make West Hampstead step-free. Any progression of the step-free access project at West Hampstead would depend on a significant third-party contribution.
I understand that you have been in contact with TfL directly about this matter and that officers have offered you a meeting to discuss the options and potential sources of third-party funding.

School Party Travel Scheme

Anne Clarke: Will you ensure that your negotiations with the Government over TfL funding includes a request to fund school party travel schemes? Many schools cannot afford coaches, or coaches are unviable for short range trips conducted by local schools. In order to make sure London builds back better for our children, this scheme needs to be reintroduced.

The Mayor: Reflecting its commitment to the health and safety of staff and customers, Transport for London (TfL) decided to suspend its school party travel scheme during the pandemic. By doing so, it has ensured that there is adequate space for all customers, making social distancing as easy as possible and limiting the number of large groups travelling on the network together and in proximity to other customers and frontline staff.
This was always a temporary suspension and TfL has been working to reopen the scheme to coincide with the final stage of lifting of the Government’s Covid-19 restrictions. With restrictions remaining in place until at least 19 July, it means the school party travel scheme won’t re-open this academic year.
It is expected to re-open in time for the new academic year in September. This will of course be dependent upon the legislation and Government guidelines in place at the time.

EU Settlement Scheme deadline

Len Duvall: What action has the Mayor taken to ensure that all EU citizens in London are aware of the deadline of 30th June for EU Settlement Scheme?

The Mayor: My team is working tirelessly to ensure European Londoners and their families apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) before 30 June. My European Londoners Hub continues to be updated with guidance in 28 community languages, which to date has received 1.7 million unique page views.
To support people yet to apply, I have invested more than £1 million in bolstering the capacity of the immigration advice sector, including targeted funding for rough sleepers and children in care. I have provided £180,000 specifically for civil society organisations to reach people less likely to have accessed the EUSS such as people sleeping rough, people with limited English, and children. So far, grantees have reached 5,141 people with one-to-one advice.
At the start of this month, I appealed to European Londoners to apply to the scheme by the deadline and will continue to ramp up this messaging as the deadline approaches.

Transport for London Settlement (19)

Elly Baker: What requests, if any, has the Government made for TfL to maintain useable cash reserves of less than £1.2bn?

The Mayor: Each of the emergency funding agreements with the Government have recognised the need for Transport for London (TfL) to maintain useable cash reserves of £1.2bn.
£1.2bn equates to 60 days of forecast annual operating costs, not including the cost of financing and renewals. Preserving this level of liquidity is important to give TfL’s external stakeholders and its lenders and credit agencies confidence in its ability to live within its means and generate enough cash flow to service existing debt and cover the cost of day to day operations.

E-scooter trials (1)

Onkar Sahota: What impact will the E-Scooter trials have on disabled people and the visually impaired?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has carried out a significant programme of research and engagement to understand the views and concerns of stakeholders from diverse communities and the possible impacts of the rental e-scooter trial on people with protected characteristics, including those who are blind or visually impaired.
This programme has helped inform TfL’s Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA), available online at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/rental-escooter-trial-2021.pdf, which details the impacts, both positive and negative, that the London rental e-scooter trial could have on disabled people, including those who are blind or visually impaired.
TfL is committed to engaging with these groups, and all groups of people that may be impacted, throughout the trial to ensure existing impacts are being monitored, and new impacts are being documented, taken into account and addressed wherever possible.

Wheelchairs on Buses

Elly Baker: The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 say, “A regulated public service vehicle shall be fitted with not less than one wheelchair space. What plans, if any, do you have to require London buses to be fitted with “not less than two wheelchair spaces”?

The Mayor: All buses used on London’s bus network accord with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 specifications by having one wheelchair space. Where possible, Transport for London (TfL) aims to make the wheelchair space as big as possible on London buses by reconfiguring the staircase and ensuring there is no loss of accessible seats.
On many newer buses there is room for one wheelchair and at least two medium-size buggies. However, if TfL was to have a second wheelchair bay that meets PSVAR specifications, it would be at the loss of seats and the same specifications state at least four priority seats must be provided to meet the needs of the many other disabled customers who use buses and need to sit down on their journeys.
TfL is trying to strike the right balance between providing more room in wheelchair spaces while offering as many seats as possible in the lower deck. Priority seats with more leg room remain very important to customers, especially older people, pregnant women and those recuperating who might otherwise be excluded from travelling.

Family Support and the LFB

Anne Clarke: What support does the LFB currently offer to parents or expectant parents (including adoptive or foster parents) in order to make the work/life balance for staff more manageable?

The Mayor: London Fire Brigade (LFB) has recently launched a Parents and Carers’ Network, which has been created to provide support on all matters to parents including support for adoptive or foster parents. LFB’s dedicated maternity support and adoption provisions policy ensures that staff receive the necessary support and care.
Physical facilities are also in place that support new mothers, including a dedicated mother’s room in LFB’s HQ, which has a suite created to support pregnant, nursing and new parents.Fire Stations have a room or specific area designated for the sole use of female firefighters, which is appropriately equipped and made available as a rest area or an area suitable for breastfeeding when needed.
A ‘maternity meeting’ with an accompanying booklet is offered to all pregnant employees to discuss provisions, entitlements and any concerns with the HR team.

London Fire Brigade 2

Nicholas Rogers: Please advise how many incidents in the LFB area were attended by Surrey Fire Service in the last five years broken down per year?

The Mayor: Please find the information in the following table.
Incidents
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Surrey Fire and Rescue Service into London
346
376
227
172
95
Surrey has the longest border with London at just over 87 kilometres. There are cost recovery arrangements in place between London Fire Brigade (LFB) and all surrounding Fire and Rescue Services (FRS). LFB changed its over-the-border mobilisation policy in March 2018 and ultimately this has had the effect of requiring fewer mobilisation from Surrey and other FRSs into London.

School Streets in Merton (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many Schools Streets are currently in place in Merton?

The Mayor: You will need to contact the London Borough of Merton for this information. Boroughs plan, manage and deliver local School Streets. Transport for London holds limited information on the number of School Streets that were delivered using Active Travel Funding. However, boroughs hold complete and up to date information on the number of School Streets currently in place.

LFB and Diversity (3)

Anne Clarke: Please provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of LFB operational staff by race and borough in which they work.

The Mayor: Please see the information in the table below, which covers all operational staff as at 31 May 2021.
Borough
BAME
White
Not Provided
Prefer not to say
Barking and Dagenham Borough
7.08%
89.38%
3.54%
0.00%
Barnet Borough
16.45%
80.92%
1.97%
0.66%
Bexley Borough
3.73%
94.78%
1.49%
0.00%
Brent Borough
20.83%
76.39%
2.78%
0.00%
Bromley Borough
4.43%
94.30%
1.27%
0.00%
Camden Borough
20.13%
78.52%
1.34%
0.00%
City of London
16.13%
80.65%
0.00%
3.23%
Croydon Borough
11.97%
85.90%
1.71%
0.43%
Ealing Borough
15.03%
83.01%
1.96%
0.00%
Enfield Borough
17.65%
79.74%
1.31%
1.31%
Greenwich Borough
13.79%
84.73%
0.99%
0.49%
Hackney Borough
18.40%
80.00%
1.60%
0.00%
Hammersmith & Fulham Borough
15.58%
81.82%
1.30%
1.30%
Haringey Borough
15.32%
81.98%
2.70%
0.00%
Harrow Borough
9.52%
90.48%
0.00%
0.00%
Havering Borough
6.03%
91.38%
2.59%
0.00%
Hillingdon Borough
11.85%
87.41%
0.74%
0.00%
Hounslow Borough
7.89%
90.13%
1.97%
0.00%
Islington Borough
21.84%
77.01%
1.15%
0.00%
Kensington & Chelsea Borough
19.70%
79.55%
0.76%
0.00%
Kingston Borough
7.77%
88.35%
2.91%
0.97%
Lambeth Borough
15.35%
83.26%
1.40%
0.00%
Lewisham Borough
13.55%
84.52%
1.94%
0.00%
Merton Borough
14.42%
83.65%
1.92%
0.00%
Newham Borough
16.79%
80.92%
2.29%
0.00%
Redbridge Borough
11.93%
87.16%
0.92%
0.00%
Richmond Borough
11.58%
88.42%
0.00%
0.00%
Southwark Borough
20.75%
75.47%
1.89%
1.89%
Sutton Borough
18.60%
80.23%
1.16%
0.00%
Tower Hamlets Borough
15.15%
82.42%
2.42%
0.00%
Waltham Forest Borough
20.42%
79.58%
0.00%
0.00%
Wandsworth Borough
18.88%
78.32%
2.80%
0.00%
Westminster Borough
11.27%
86.62%
2.11%
0.00%
All Non-Borough Uniformed Operational Staff
16.40%
80.83%
2.31%
0.46%
Total Uniformed Operational Staff
14.35%
83.68%
1.72%
0.25%

LFB and Diversity (5)

Anne Clarke: Please provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of LFB operational staff by sex and borough in which they work.

The Mayor: Please see the information in the table below, which covers all operational staff as at 31 May 2021.
Borough
Female
Male
Barking and Dagenham Borough
7.08%
92.92%
Barnet Borough
5.26%
94.74%
Bexley Borough
9.70%
90.30%
Brent Borough
9.03%
90.97%
Bromley Borough
7.59%
92.41%
Camden Borough
6.04%
93.96%
City of London
6.45%
93.55%
Croydon Borough
10.68%
89.32%
Ealing Borough
11.11%
88.89%
Enfield Borough
7.19%
92.81%
Greenwich Borough
7.88%
92.12%
Hackney Borough
6.40%
93.60%
Hammersmith & Fulham Borough
9.09%
90.91%
Haringey Borough
6.31%
93.69%
Harrow Borough
16.67%
83.33%
Havering Borough
12.07%
87.93%
Hillingdon Borough
8.15%
91.85%
Hounslow Borough
11.84%
88.16%
Islington Borough
9.20%
90.80%
Kensington & Chelsea Borough
5.30%
94.70%
Kingston Borough
4.85%
95.15%
Lambeth Borough
8.84%
91.16%
Lewisham Borough
14.19%
85.81%
Merton Borough
7.69%
92.31%
Newham Borough
7.63%
92.37%
Redbridge Borough
8.26%
91.74%
Richmond Borough
10.53%
89.47%
Southwark Borough
9.43%
90.57%
Sutton Borough
8.14%
91.86%
Tower Hamlets Borough
5.45%
94.55%
Waltham Forest Borough
7.75%
92.25%
Wandsworth Borough
10.49%
89.51%
Westminster Borough
9.15%
90.85%
All Non-Borough Uniformed Operational Staff
11.78%
88.22%
Total Uniformed Operational Staff
8.95%
91.05%

Pride

Marina Ahmad: You have always been a great ally to the LGBT community. This Pride month how do you plan to strengthen that relationship even further?

The Mayor: I will continue to provide support to Pride, and use my influence to strengthen Pride’s links with those groups and communities whose actions gave birth to it.
My work dedicated to protecting London’s treasured LGBTQ+ places and spaces will continue. I am proud of the £2.3m Covid Emergency Fund I established to help at-risk cultural venues, including 11 LGBTQ+ venues. I will also support plans for a new LGBTQ+ community centre for London.
I have established a Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm to increase the presence of under-represented groups including LGBTQ+ Londoners. Both the Commission and its Partners Board have appointed LGBTQ+ representatives.
All of these actions are an important part of strengthening my ongoing support for Pride. As part of this, I fully recognise that Trans rights are human rights and I’ll proudly stand up against any abuse directed against Trans people and the wider LGBTQ+ community.

Intermediate homes for frontline workers

Anne Clarke: How are you working to achieve your manifesto commitment of backing frontline workers including firefighters to get priority for new intermediate homes?

The Mayor: The pandemic has reminded us how much we rely on and owe to London’s key workers. I am determined to take whatever practical measures I can within my powers to help key workers who are affected by high housing costs.
In accordance with my manifesto commitment, I will publish a core list of key worker occupations, which local authorities will be expected to adopt and can add to at a local level. In developing a new list of key worker occupations, I will continue to engage and consult with trade unions, councils and others to encourage more uniformity across the city. I expect the core list to be finalised and published in the Autumn.
I will also strengthen planning guidance to introduce the expectation that key workers should be prioritised, with regard to local need, if local authorities and housing providers choose to set additional prioritisation criteria for the first three months of marketing new intermediate homes.

Supporting Leaseholders (2)

Unmesh Desai: How are you encouraging developers to commit to funding the additional costs being piled onto leaseholders, for example for safety assessments or waking watches?

The Mayor: I continue to advocate for leaseholders, who in no circumstances should have to pay for the cost of remedial or interim measures. While funding for remediation should be forthcoming from developers themselves, as I have long called for, a more strategic approach is required to tackle the scale of the building safety crisis. In December 2020 I called for the introduction of a developer levy to pay for cladding remediation and other building safety work. This was based on a City Hall analysis which found that such a levy on developers’ profits, which reached £30bn over the last decade, could raise £3bn for cladding remediation. The Secretary of State announced plans for a levy in February 2021. The Government should urgently follow through on my recommendations and implement this scheme as soon as possible.

Supporting Leaseholders (1)

Unmesh Desai: Recently the developer Ballymore committed £20 million towards the remediation of dangerous cladding. What conversations are you or your deputy Mayors having with developers in order to encourage other developers working on projects in London to commit funding to the remediation work?

The Mayor: Four years on from Grenfell Tower, it is unacceptable that developers have not contributed more towards remediating unsafe cladding on their own buildings. Ballymore’s commitment is welcome, though insufficient. Immediately after the fire at New Providence Wharf on 7 May, I wrote to Ballymore requesting that it unconditionally funds remediation of all unsafe cladding across its portfolio.
Though I will continue to put pressure on developers to finance remediation themselves, simply appealing to them to do the right thing will not suffice. A more strategic approach is required to tackle the scale of the building safety crisis. In December 2020 I called for the introduction of a developer levy to pay for cladding remediation and other building safety work. This was based on a City Hall analysis which found that such a levy on developers’ profits, which reached £30bn over the last decade, could raise £3bn for cladding remediation. The Secretary of State announced plans for a levy in February 2021. The Government should urgently follow through on my recommendations and implement this scheme as soon as possible.

Transport for London Settlement (1)

Elly Baker: The 1 June 2021 TfL Funding Settlement Letter says, “HMG also remains supportive of TfL growing its commercial development income, particularly where legislative changes may be needed”. Are you able to provide details on how TfL will grow its commercial income and the legislative changes that may result?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is looking across its entire estate for opportunities to grow its commercial income for reinvestment in the capital’s transport network.
TfL’s housing programme is a key opportunity. TfL has identified more than 50 sites for potential redevelopment, gained planning permission for some 6,000 homes, and started construction sites that will deliver around 1,500 homes.
To realise the full potential of its assets, TfL has been assessing new funding and corporate structuring options. TfL recently updated members of its Finance Committee on its progress in this area, and the paper can be viewed online here.

Extending voting rights

Len Duvall: Will the Mayor support the extension of voting rights for local elections for all London citizens and will he commit to making representations to government on this matter?

The Mayor: In my manifesto I clearly set out my commitment to fight for all foreign nationals who contribute to our city by living, working and paying tax to be properly recognised and to be allowed to vote in elections. I also continue to back lowering the voting age to 16 to give young people power over their futures.
Civic and democratic participation are key pillars of social integration. The lessons from extending voting rights to all residents in Scotland and Wales show that this increases feelings of belonging and trust and that democracy cannot work unless all voices are heard.
I will continue to make this case to the Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution and stress the importance of voting rights for all London residents over the age of 16, irrespective of nationality, and not to place further barriers to participation in the form of the Government’s plans for photo voter IDs.

EU Settlement Scheme support

Len Duvall: What plans does the Mayor have to support any EU Citizens in London who miss the deadline of 30th June for the EU Settlement Scheme?

The Mayor: I am continuing to call on Government to take all necessary steps to prevent a cliff edge for EU citizens on 30 June by advocating for an extension to the deadline to the EU Settlement Scheme. As it stands, tens of thousands of EU citizens and their families risk losing their rights and entitlements overnight.
My European Londoners Hub provides comprehensive guidance and information for EU citizens, and I will continue to invest in new resources to support Londoners with insecure immigration status to access their rights to residency and citizenship. The Hub includes resources that explain government guidance on late applications to the EU Settlement Scheme, and I am working proactively with government departments to prevent miscommunication and misinformation about EU citizens’ rights post the 30 June deadline.
I plan to continue to support those who have yet to receive status through the EU Settlement Scheme through continued strategic investment in the immigration advice sector. So far, I have invested more than £1 million in bolstering capacity, including targeted funding for rough sleepers and children in care who face some of the highest barriers to accessing the EU Settlement Scheme.

Training

Tony Devenish: Haveyou enquired into the facts behind an anonymous Met detective telling The Times (5th June), that officers were not giving appropriate care to sex crime victims because of inadequate training?

The Mayor: MOPAC Officers are aware of the article and my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime regularly discusses the importance of an effective response to sexual offences with the MPS, including the provision of training to officers.

LFB and Diversity (2)

Anne Clarke: Please provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of LFB operational staff by sexual orientation and borough in which they work.

The Mayor: Please see the information in the table below, which covers all operational staff as at 31 May 2021.
Borough
LGB
Heterosexual
Not Provided
Prefer not to Say
Barking and Dagenham Borough
2.65%
64.60%
32.74%
0.00%
Barnet Borough
3.29%
73.68%
23.03%
0.00%
Bexley Borough
7.46%
60.45%
32.09%
0.00%
Brent Borough
6.25%
69.44%
24.31%
0.00%
Bromley Borough
4.43%
64.56%
31.01%
0.00%
Camden Borough
5.37%
73.15%
21.48%
0.00%
City of London
9.68%
80.65%
9.68%
0.00%
Croydon Borough
9.83%
64.53%
25.64%
0.00%
Ealing Borough
5.23%
73.86%
20.92%
0.00%
Enfield Borough
3.27%
63.40%
33.33%
0.00%
Greenwich Borough
5.42%
66.50%
28.08%
0.00%
Hackney Borough
4.80%
69.60%
25.60%
0.00%
Hammersmith & Fulham Borough
5.19%
72.73%
22.08%
0.00%
Haringey Borough
4.50%
65.77%
29.73%
0.00%
Harrow Borough
5.95%
64.29%
29.76%
0.00%
Havering Borough
6.90%
53.45%
39.66%
0.00%
Hillingdon Borough
7.41%
72.59%
20.00%
0.00%
Hounslow Borough
6.58%
73.68%
19.74%
0.00%
Islington Borough
3.45%
80.46%
16.09%
0.00%
Kensington & Chelsea Borough
2.27%
72.73%
25.00%
0.00%
Kingston Borough
3.88%
75.73%
20.39%
0.00%
Lambeth Borough
3.72%
64.65%
31.63%
0.00%
Lewisham Borough
3.87%
72.90%
23.23%
0.00%
Merton Borough
3.85%
64.42%
31.73%
0.00%
Newham Borough
8.40%
66.41%
25.19%
0.00%
Redbridge Borough
8.26%
60.55%
31.19%
0.00%
Richmond Borough
5.26%
65.26%
29.47%
0.00%
Southwark Borough
8.49%
70.75%
20.75%
0.00%
Sutton Borough
5.81%
68.60%
25.58%
0.00%
Tower Hamlets Borough
3.64%
70.30%
26.06%
0.00%
Waltham Forest Borough
4.93%
73.94%
21.13%
0.00%
Wandsworth Borough
5.59%
72.03%
22.38%
0.00%
Westminster Borough
7.75%
69.01%
23.24%
0.00%
All Non-Borough Uniformed Operational Staff
6.47%
64.67%
28.87%
0.00%
Total Uniformed Operational Staff
5.60%
68.19%
26.22%
0.00%

LFB and Diversity (1)

Anne Clarke: Please provide a breakdown of LFB operational staff by age (Under 25; 26-30; 31-40; 41-50, 51-60; 61+) and borough.

The Mayor: Please find the information in the table below, which covers all operational staff as at 31 May 2021.
Borough
25 and under
26-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61+
Barking and Dagenham Borough
8.85%
7.08%
26.55%
41.59%
15.93%
0.00%
Barnet Borough
1.32%
11.18%
36.18%
36.84%
14.47%
0.00%
Bexley Borough
6.72%
6.72%
29.10%
42.54%
14.93%
0.00%
Brent Borough
4.86%
11.81%
38.89%
35.42%
9.03%
0.00%
Bromley Borough
2.53%
5.70%
34.18%
39.24%
18.35%
0.00%
Camden Borough
2.01%
13.42%
36.24%
32.89%
14.77%
0.67%
City of London
9.68%
12.90%
61.29%
9.68%
6.45%
0.00%
Croydon Borough
4.27%
8.55%
36.32%
37.18%
13.25%
0.43%
Ealing Borough
4.58%
13.07%
31.37%
39.87%
11.11%
0.00%
Enfield Borough
3.27%
9.15%
28.10%
47.06%
11.76%
0.65%
Greenwich Borough
4.43%
10.84%
34.98%
38.42%
10.84%
0.49%
Hackney Borough
5.60%
12.00%
40.00%
31.20%
9.60%
1.60%
Hammersmith & Fulham Borough
6.49%
3.90%
38.96%
40.26%
10.39%
0.00%
Haringey Borough
2.70%
10.81%
33.33%
39.64%
13.51%
0.00%
Harrow Borough
5.95%
16.67%
30.95%
35.71%
9.52%
1.19%
Havering Borough
1.72%
7.76%
18.97%
46.55%
24.14%
0.86%
Hillingdon Borough
3.70%
14.07%
36.30%
34.07%
11.85%
0.00%
Hounslow Borough
1.97%
9.87%
32.24%
46.05%
9.87%
0.00%
Islington Borough
2.30%
10.34%
33.33%
37.93%
16.09%
0.00%
Kensington & Chelsea Borough
3.03%
15.15%
40.91%
29.55%
11.36%
0.00%
Kingston Borough
2.91%
11.65%
34.95%
39.81%
10.68%
0.00%
Lambeth Borough
2.79%
11.16%
33.95%
37.67%
14.42%
0.00%
Lewisham Borough
2.58%
9.68%
43.23%
31.61%
12.90%
0.00%
Merton Borough
2.88%
7.69%
33.65%
43.27%
12.50%
0.00%
Newham Borough
3.82%
12.21%
32.82%
28.24%
22.14%
0.76%
Redbridge Borough
5.50%
11.93%
28.44%
33.94%
19.27%
0.92%
Richmond Borough
3.16%
5.26%
38.95%
37.89%
14.74%
0.00%
Southwark Borough
3.77%
15.09%
43.40%
31.13%
6.60%
0.00%
Sutton Borough
1.16%
13.95%
27.91%
38.37%
18.60%
0.00%
Tower Hamlets Borough
6.06%
13.94%
35.76%
32.73%
11.52%
0.00%
Waltham Forest Borough
5.63%
16.90%
32.39%
31.69%
13.38%
0.00%
Wandsworth Borough
2.10%
15.38%
37.06%
35.66%
9.79%
0.00%
Westminster Borough
4.23%
9.86%
42.96%
31.69%
10.56%
0.70%
All Non-Borough Uniformed Operational Staff
2.54%
2.54%
21.71%
44.34%
27.94%
0.92%
Total Uniformed Operational Staff
3.73%
10.29%
33.63%
37.47%
14.56%
0.31%

LFB and Diversity (4)

Anne Clarke: Please provide a breakdown of LFB operational staff by gender and borough in which they work.

The Mayor: Please see the information in the table below, which covers all operational staff as at 31 May 2021.
London Fire Brigade has recently updated the choices available to staff within the gender identity category, to ensure it is following good practice in terminology, and therefore the current completion rates are lower than for other equalities categories.
Borough
Female
Male
Other
Not Provided
Prefer not to say
Barking and Dagenham Borough
5.31%
46.90%
1.77%
46.02%
0.00%
Barnet Borough
3.29%
53.29%
0.66%
42.76%
0.00%
Bexley Borough
6.72%
44.03%
2.24%
47.01%
0.00%
Brent Borough
4.86%
47.92%
0.00%
47.22%
0.00%
Bromley Borough
5.70%
41.77%
1.27%
50.00%
1.27%
Camden Borough
2.68%
50.34%
1.34%
45.64%
0.00%
City of London
3.23%
61.29%
0.00%
35.48%
0.00%
Croydon Borough
7.69%
46.58%
0.43%
45.30%
0.00%
Ealing Borough
6.54%
41.18%
0.00%
52.29%
0.00%
Enfield Borough
5.23%
42.48%
1.31%
50.98%
0.00%
Greenwich Borough
3.94%
43.35%
0.99%
50.74%
0.99%
Hackney Borough
3.20%
44.80%
0.00%
52.00%
0.00%
Hammersmith & Fulham Borough
9.09%
49.35%
0.00%
41.56%
0.00%
Haringey Borough
1.80%
45.05%
0.00%
53.15%
0.00%
Harrow Borough
8.33%
41.67%
1.19%
48.81%
0.00%
Havering Borough
6.03%
35.34%
3.45%
55.17%
0.00%
Hillingdon Borough
5.93%
49.63%
0.74%
43.70%
0.00%
Hounslow Borough
7.89%
49.34%
0.00%
42.76%
0.00%
Islington Borough
2.30%
56.32%
2.30%
39.08%
0.00%
Kensington & Chelsea Borough
2.27%
51.52%
0.76%
45.45%
0.00%
Kingston Borough
3.88%
41.75%
2.91%
50.49%
0.97%
Lambeth Borough
5.58%
45.58%
0.47%
48.37%
0.00%
Lewisham Borough
7.10%
42.58%
1.29%
47.74%
1.29%
Merton Borough
5.77%
44.23%
1.92%
48.08%
0.00%
Newham Borough
3.82%
49.62%
1.53%
45.04%
0.00%
Redbridge Borough
1.83%
50.46%
0.92%
45.87%
0.92%
Richmond Borough
6.32%
47.37%
0.00%
46.32%
0.00%
Southwark Borough
6.60%
47.17%
0.00%
45.28%
0.94%
Sutton Borough
6.98%
38.37%
2.33%
52.33%
0.00%
Tower Hamlets Borough
4.85%
58.18%
0.00%
36.36%
0.61%
Waltham Forest Borough
5.63%
42.25%
0.70%
51.41%
0.00%
Wandsworth Borough
7.69%
42.66%
0.70%
48.95%
0.00%
Westminster Borough
8.45%
47.18%
0.00%
43.66%
0.70%
All Non-Borough Uniformed Operational Staff
8.08%
45.03%
0.92%
45.96%
0.00%
Total Uniformed Operational Staff
5.66%
46.23%
0.90%
46.98%
0.23%

EU Settlement Scheme

Marina Ahmad: Do you know how many Londoners who are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme as of 1 July 2021, have not applied?

The Mayor: There areno reliable official population estimates by nationality, and the number of applications to the EUSS in London is already higher than the available ONS figures on the city’s EU population. Therefore, we cannot estimate the numbers who are yet to apply, but we do know that of those who have applied there are over 100,000 outstanding applications to the scheme from London applicants alone.
We know there are still people left to apply based onqualitative evidence fromour civil societystakeholders and local authorities. Given the lack of robust data, I am concerned that an over-reliance on existing data sources couldleadto a relaxation of efforts to help people apply. This would be especially detrimental to European Londoners yet to apply, including those with the most complex needs, such as older people, those sleeping rough, people with limited English and children.
Please see this report from the Migration Observatory, for more details on understanding EUSS data: https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Report_Not-Settled-Yet-Understanding-the-EU-Settlement-Scheme-using-the-Available-Data.pdf

Fire, Safe and Well visits after coronavirus

Zack Polanski: The London Fire Brigade (LFB) piloted Fire, Safe and Well visits from December 2017 to May 2019, and made referrals equivalent to two thirds of the one thousand visits undertaken. Will LFB be restarting these visits in the near future?

The Mayor: London Fire Brigade (LFB) piloted Fire Safe and Well visits in five London boroughs, testing concepts and ways of improving Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSVs). The programme was evaluated with a final report agreed at Commissioners Board in September 2020. The lessons learnt are being taken forward through Making Every Contact Count, which will increase partnership working and referring residents to utilities companies for their Priority Services Register.
During the pandemic LFB staff called 1,200 residents who had previously taken part in the programme, as the Brigade wanted to re-engage with these residents along with those who attend the Brigade’s Older People’s Forum, offering assistance during a very challenging time.
The new HFSV Strategy will be produced in 2022 and will take on key benefits from the Fire Safe and Well Visits which will ultimately improve how HFSVs are delivered.

Silvertown Road Tunnel construction risk

Siân Berry: In your answer to question 2020/2626 you said that Transport for London (TfL) had transferred a significant proportion of construction risk to Riverlinx. Could you confirm what proportion or level of construction risk TfL considers itself to hold, where this is recorded in any public papers, if any, and what provision TfL is making for this risk?

The Mayor: In general terms, the construction risk of the project is transferred to Riverlinx, which is responsible for designing and building the new tunnel and funding all of the work involved. Riverlinx is also responsible for maintaining the tunnel for 25 years once it is completed, and it is during this period that it will be repaid by Transport for London (TfL).
TfL’s payments to Riverlinx are not affected by how long it takes or how much it costs for Riverlinx to complete the construction to TfL’s specified requirements. The payments can also be reduced if Riverlinx performs unsatisfactorily during the operational stage, further incentivising it to design and build the tunnel to high standards.
There are specific events which would result in TfL ‘sharing’ certain construction risks with Riverlinx. These generally relate to low likelihood but high impact events which, if priced within the contract, would represent poor value to TfL. This includes, for example, the discovery of Unexploded Ordnance during tunnelling works. Even then, the risk is shared with Riverlinx, not held completely by TfL.
The risk allocation is set out in the Project Agreement between TfL and Riverlinx, which is published online here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/silvertown-tunnel-project-agreement
The risks associated with the project were reported to and heavily scrutinised by TfL’s Programmes & Investment Committee in taking the decision to enter into the Project Agreement. The papers are published in the usual manner with certain commercial details withheld from publication and discussed in private as noted in the papers.
TfL does hold some risk provision as part of its direct costs for the project which are published as part of TfL’s regular investment programme reporting. Specific details of the risk provision are not published, as their publication could prejudice TfL’s commercial position in negotiating with Riverlinx or other relevant parties should such risks materialise.

Social Distancing on the Tube (1)

Keith Prince: During the course ofthe Pandemic, TfL Rail employees have used handheld devices to count safe numbers onto their platforms to ensure safe numbers of passengers board their trains. What steps have you takento ensure that passengers have sufficient space to socially distance on the London Underground trains that you directly control?

The Mayor: Throughout the pandemic, Transport for London (TfL) has done everything it can to help ensure that those travelling on the Tube can maintain social distancing.
TfL has continued to run as many trains as possible to make social distancing easier, as well as installing signage on all of its trains to remind passengers to socially distance.
At stations, TfL has implemented one-way systems with supporting signage, deployed stewards to manage crowding, and installed barriers at the entrances to key stations to remind customers about social distancing and mask wearing. Where necessary, staff have held customers outside when a station is too busy. Intelligence-led, targeted BTP operations have also been deployed to encourage face covering compliance and social distancing.
TfL has also used Travel Demand Management tools such as the TfL Go app to help advise customers on quiet times to travel and identify quieter stations for interchange. The use of Travel Demand Management has been particularly targeted at interchange stations, as it can be challenging to manage the flow of customers across a platform or through connecting tunnels to another line.
Customer demand and the impact on stations is reviewed daily. Reporting tools are used to understand the times and locations where crowding may occur, with targeted action taken as appropriate.

Systemic Change and Government (2)

Anne Clarke: How has your lobbying of Government on areas such the systemic change needed following Grenfell been successful to date?

The Mayor: I am confident that a combination of lobbying and working collaboratively with government, as well as leading by example, is the right approach to achieving systemic change.
Following my innovative approach to fire safety in new London Plan, I have been heartened to see this approach being adopted nationally. I lobbied Government last December to introduce a developer levy to support remediation and relieve leaseholders from financial pressures, which I am pleased to see government has taken on board. I am also proud to have lobbied government repeatedly to introduce a combustible materials ban. However I have argued that it should apply to all buildings, no matter their height or purpose, rather than the 18 metre threshold introduced in December 2018. Whilst I note government’s intention, announced in January 2020, to lower the ban to 11 metres, I am dismayed to see that no further action has been taken 18 months later.
I will continue to lobby the Government to ensure all leaseholders are protected from bills to pay to put right historic building safety defects that were not their fault regardless of the nature of the defect or building height. I will also continue to lobby the Government to cover the cost of waking watches, and to resolve issues relating to professional indemnity insurance for those who are carrying out remediation work.

Age-Friendly Action Plan

Tony Devenish: Will you be drafting an age-friendly action plan based on previous work and more recent priorities identified by older Londoners set out in theAgeUKLondon Manifesto 2021 and Positive Ageing in London’s Our Age-friendly City?

The Mayor: In line with my commitment to make London an age-friendly city, my officers worked in collaboration with Age UK London, Positive Ageing in London (PAiL) and members of my Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Group to produce an action plan setting out how the work of the GLA Group can respond to the priorities of older Londoners.
That work involved an extensive process of engagement with older Londoners that helped reveal their priority concerns at the point when the pandemic began to take hold.
The work on the original action plan has fed directly into the design of the nine recovery missions and the specific projects that will underpin them. These include actions to address the current issues identified by Age UK London and PAiL, including travel, housing, digital inclusion and maintaining physical and mental wellbeing.
Age UK London and Positive Ageing in London are members of London Age-friendly Forum. My deputy mayor, Debbie Weekes-Bernard, will be meeting with the Forum in the coming weeks, to discuss how best to progress the age-friendly London programme going forward.

E-Scooter Trials (2)

Onkar Sahota: Which disability groups were consulted before the e-scooter trials and what concerns did they commonly raise?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has carried out a significant programme of research and engagement to understand the views and concerns of stakeholders from diverse communities and the possible impacts of the rental e-scooter trial on people with protected characteristics, including those who have various forms of disability.
This programme has helped inform TfL’s Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA), available online at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/rental-escooter-trial-2021.pdf, which details all of the engagement undertaken and when it occurred together with the concerns that were raised.
TfL is committed to engaging with these groups and all groups who may be impacted throughout the trial to ensure impacts are being monitored and taken into account on an ongoing basis and addressed wherever possible.

Age-friendly London programme

Neil Garratt: Will you ensure demonstrable progress is made on the Age-friendly London programme, with theuse of a published timetable?

The Mayor: I and London partners have already made significant progress on the Age-friendly London programme, since I signed London up to the WHO’s global network of age-friendly communities in 2018.
In line with the network’s expectations my officers gathered evidence of how age-friendly London is currently and engaged with older Londoners to identify their priorities for making our city more age-friendly. In 2019 we commissioned Age UK London to draft the GLA’s contribution to an age-friendly London action plan.
I made a manifesto commitment to push this further over the next three years, so that London is a more age-friendly city, whatever people’s circumstances.
My deputy mayor, Debbie Weekes-Bernard, will be meeting with the London Age-Friendly Forum and other older people’s organisations in the coming weeks, to discuss how best to progress the age-friendly London programme going forward.

London recovery for older Londoners

Neil Garratt: How will you ensure that older Londoners are not left behind in terms of action taken to help London recover from the Covid-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: I have committed to find the best routes to reach as many Londoners as possible – particularly groups representing older Londoners. This engagement - along with community intelligence such as that gained from the London Community Response Survey, which supported frontline organisations that responded to the pandemic - will inform London’s recovery programme.
My deputy mayor Debbie Weekes-Bernard is the older people’s champion within my office. Debbie co-chairs the social renewal work strand of the recovery programme with Councillor Ruth Dombey, leader of the London Borough of Sutton, who is the older people’s champion on the London Recovery Board.
I have every confidence that, between Debbie and Ruth, and my team’s ongoing engagement with older Londoners, older Londoners will not be left behind in terms of action to help London recover from the pandemic.

Combatting ageism

Neil Garratt: How will you ensure that ageism has no place in London?

The Mayor: Ageism has no place in London and I am addressing it wherever I can.
My skills and housing programmes are considering the specific needs of older workers and the housing needs of people as they grow older and I am encouraging all London employees to tackle ageism in the workplace through my Good Work Standard.
I am also addressing ageism directly through the Recovery programme through the Digital Access for All recovery mission, which alongside partners, aims to address ageism in the digital world
My step-free programme and bus driver training programmes are also improving access and providing a more positive travelling experience for older Londoners.
I will continue to engage with older Londoners and the organisations that support them to identify ageism and to address it with partners across London.

Inclusion of older Londoners

Neil Garratt: Please outline how your strategies, action plans & activities meaningfully include older Londoners.

The Mayor: My new London Plan meets the needs of older Londoners with policies on inclusive design and the increased provision of toilets available to the public. My transport strategy provides more step-free access and an improved Dial-a-ride service. Since the pandemic I have defended the Freedom Pass.
My housing strategy promotes the development of adapted and accessible homes, and my economic strategy provides skills for older workers and promotes age-inclusive employment practices.
I will continue to engage with older Londoners and the organisations that represent them to co-produce how my future strategies, action plans and activities and those of the recovery programme will meaningfully include older Londoners.

Tower Hamlets PTS

Andrew Boff: Does Tower Hamlets’ permit transfer scheme (PTS) comply with paragraph 10.6.1 and Policy T6 in the New London Plan?

The Mayor: Policies T6 and paragraph 10.6.1 in the London Plan set out an overall approach to parking, although the London Plan does not specifically address the issue of eligibility for parking permits as this lies outside the planning system. Policies on eligibility, allocation and transfer are determined by individual boroughs. However, the allocation of residents’ parking permits clearly has an impact on the implementation of parking policies at a local and regional level.
I understand that an independent review of the proposed PTS was undertaken before its introduction and that council officers estimated that a targeted PTS would be acceptable up to 2020. It was acknowledged that a review of the scheme may be required. Given that the PTS has now been in operation for several years, I would suggest the Council undertakes a review of the impact, need and parameters of the scheme in the light of the clear objectives of my London Plan. This should include identifying a mechanism to ensure the total number of permits does not increase as a result of the PTS.

Contribution of older Londoners

Neil Garratt: Will you celebrate the contribution of older Londoners?

The Mayor: I am extremely grateful to older Londoners who make a huge contribution to London in so many ways. They played a massive role as volunteers at community hubs during the pandemic and currently are as stewards at Covid-19 vaccination sites.
Older Londoners form the backbone of our Team London Ambassador volunteering programme each year, with nearly 40 per cent of participants currently over 65 years of age. I have been pleased to recognise the valuable work of older volunteers, as recipients of my Volunteering Awards.
Many older people are still working, whilst many of those who aren’t are looking after their grandchildren, so that their parents can work. All are making valuable contributions to London’s economy.
Each year I use the International Older People’s Day (1 October) to draw attention to the fantastic contributions of our older Londoners and will continue to do so.

School Streets in Merton (2)

Leonie Cooper: How many more School Streets are planned for Merton?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2021/2621. You will need to contact the London Borough of Merton about its plans for School Streets.

Unreliable lifts at Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Siân Berry: Constituents have raised concerns with me that the lifts at the Greenwich Foot Tunnel are now unreliable, with the north lift currently out of service. This leaves people walking and cycling with stairs to climb to exit the tunnel, often whilst carrying bicycles or buggies. Will you invest in improved access at this and other existing crossings now that both your proposed Rotherhithe bridge and replacement ferry have been cancelled?

The Mayor: The Greenwich Foot Tunnel is managed and maintained by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The borough is aware of the problems with the north lift and it will be repaired and returned to service as soon as possible.
Transport for London (TfL) regularly liaises with the boroughs on use of funding allocations – not least in the context of the latest temporary funding settlement from Government. It would be for the borough to consider allocation of funds for improvements to the tunnel and, were that the case, TfL would be happy to discuss the options with them.

LFB and Diversity (6)

Anne Clarke: Please provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of LFB operational staff by faith and borough in which they work.

The Mayor: Please see the infomation provided in the attached table, whichcovers all operational staff as at 31 May 2021.

The Mayor: 2515.pdf

London & Partners Transparency

Shaun Bailey: Whatactions are you taking to make London & Partners more transparent?

The Mayor: I want the GLA Group and GLA grant-funded organisations to be as transparent as possible. With L&P, it is important to balance the need for transparency with the need for it to operate as an arms-length social enterprise generating commercial income.
As you’ll recall, in 2016 I requested an internal review of the funding, governance and effectiveness of London & Partners (L&P). Additional L&P transparency requirements were subsequently agreed including the appointment of observers from my team to L&P’s board, and the publication of L&P’s board meeting minutes on their website.
L&P have since undertaken several further actions including publishing a Transparency Policy in 2019. L&P publishes their corporate strategy, business plans and quarterly reports, as well as their annual reviews and accounts.

Supporting Older Londoners through London's Economic Recovery

Shaun Bailey: How are you supporting older Londoners through London's economic recovery and what targets do you have?

The Mayor: I am committed to working with adult learning providers and career services to improve support for older jobseekers, including re-training and re-skilling. Work is underway to increase the participation of older Londoners in adult education, including training in essential digital skills. Older people are also a priority for the Good Work mission of our recovery programme.
To support older Londoners experiencing problems at work, my Employment Rights Hub has been updated with information about discrimination and redundancy, and links to trusted employment advice and support services. Information about employment rights has been shared with key umbrella organisations.
To maximise the impact for older Londoners, I will continue to work closely with DWP and London Councils to ensure national DWP programmes such as Restart work for older people.
In setting out my Adult Education Road Map I will continue to ensure the learning and employment support needs of older Londoners are listened to and met. Of particular importance is slowing the rate at which people leave the labour market by providing flexible employment and ensuring my Good Work Standard provisions are in line with the National Strategy “Fuller Working Lives”. This work has already started and in the consultation phase I will work closely with organisations which champion the needs of older Londoners.

Riverlinx (4)

Elly Baker: What evaluation has Riverlinx made of its air quality impact? What mitigations has Riverlinx put in place to reduce this and to improve air quality in affected areas?

The Mayor: The construction air quality impacts for the Silvertown Tunnel scheme are forecast in the Environmental Statement, available on the National Infrastructure Planning website here: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/london/silvertown-tunnel/?ipcsection=docs&stage=app&filter1=Environmental+Statement
Riverlinx is monitoring particulate matter at locations across the current construction areas, in line with Air Quality Management Plans approved by the London Borough of Newham and the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The monitors are in place to detect elevated levels of dust from site activities in order that Riverlinx can respond accordingly.
Riverlinx has employed a range of mitigations on site to limit the air quality impacts of construction as far as possible. This includes the deployment of dust suppression water sprays, adopting a site speed limit to minimise dust kicking up from haul roads, wheel washes for vehicles to stop the spread of mud on nearby roads, the use of a street sweeper to ensure the public roads around site are kept clean, the adoption of the latest emission standard plant and vehicles, the adoption of a ‘no unnecessary vehicle idling’ site rule, and maximising the use of the river in order to reduce the number of lorry movements on the road. Riverlinx has also recently trialled the use of hybrid excavators on site, which have shown very positive early results with a reduction of fuel use of up to 80 per cent.

Transport for London Settlement (12)

Elly Baker: The 1 June 2021 TfL Funding Settlement Letter says, “TfL will be expected to take steps now to ensure they are not locking in future costs and are in a position to reduce service levels efficiently if and when required”. Why do you think the Government is expecting TfL to be in a position to reduce service levels, as opposed to increase service levels?

The Mayor: I would not want to speculate why the Government expects Transport for London (TfL) to be in a position to reduce service levels, as opposed to increase service levels.
TfL and I have made it clear to the Government that we must seek to avoid significant service reductions as they could hamper the economic recovery and have wider very negative impacts for the city, and are not cost effective. We are making this case strongly to the Government.

Pride month (1)

Leonie Cooper: With it being Pride month, can the Mayor update me on what he is doing to tackle rising levels of homophobia and transphobia, in terms of positive awareness campaigns?

The Mayor: Homophobic abuse and all forms of hate crime have absolutely no place in our city. An attack on any Londoner based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion or disability is an attack on all of us and I am determined to do everything he can to tackle hate crime.
I have invested more than £6 million to support London’s diverse communities and tackle the scourge of hate crime, as well as funding grassroots community organisations and civil society groups to stand up to hate and intolerance.The London LGBTQ+ anti-violence charity Galop works with both MOPAC and the police in developing our response to hate crime and plays a significant role in providing MOPAC funded support services to victims.
The £6 million is made up of hate crime projects funded through the London Crime Prevention Fund, Small Grants Fund, and other directly commissioned services like the pan-London hate crime victim support service delivered by the CATCH partnership. The vast majority of this funding has been used for services directly supporting victims of hate crime.
In addition, the MPS has a 250 strong network of LGBTQ+ Advisers (made up of police officers and staff) who work with partners to devise strategies to prevent and tackle homophobic hate crime.These advisors complement the work of the BCU Hate Crime Outcomes and Performance Officers (HCOP), advising communities how to stay safe, building trust and confidence to report hate crime when it does occur, and ensuring victims receive the specialist support that will best meet their needs.
However, it’s clear more needs to be done to help victims report incidents and to prevent hate crime – which we know has risen during the pandemic. As restrictions continue to ease, we all have a role to play in calling out hate but the Government also needs to provide funding for long-lasting efforts to tackle it.

Electric Vehicles and London (1)

Leonie Cooper: How do you anticipate the use of electric vehicles developing in London during the next three years?

The Mayor: I welcome the announcement from government that sales for new petrol and diesel cars and vans would be phased out from 2030, which is anticipated to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) demand beyond forecasts in my London Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Delivery Plan in 2019.
We are already starting to see an acceleration in EV uptake, with first-time ultra-low emission vehicle registrations hitting a record high in London in 2020 at over 15,997 (triple the number compared to 2017 levels). This reflects growing consumer confidence, greater vehicle choice and improving technology, which I expect to continue and accelerate during the next three years.
Transport for London is currently updating its forecasts for the capital’s charging infrastructure needs to 2030 and developing a charging infrastructure strategy which will set out how the public and private sectors can further support the delivery of EV infrastructure and remove barriers to charge point implementation.

Electric Vehicles and London (2)

Leonie Cooper: Are there some areas of London that you would like to see prioritised for the use of electric vehicles?

The Mayor: My Transport Strategy outlines a commitment to support boroughs across London to implement local Zero Emission Zones (ZEZs) from 2020. This further outlines an ambition for acentral London ZEZ to be delivered from 2025 andlargerZEZs in inner London by2040. ZEZs are areas where access is limited to zero emission vehicles, during specified time windows.
We are already seeing emerging ZEZs in the London Borough of Hackney and the City of London and expect more to follow. The supply of charging infrastructure to support the use of electric vehicles within these zones will be important to their success. As such, Transport for London is developing a strategy which will set out how the public and private sectors can further support the delivery of EV infrastructure to meet expected demand and remove barriers to charge point implementation.

School Streets in Wandsworth (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many Schools Streets are currently in place in Wandsworth?

The Mayor: You will need to contact the London Borough of Wandsworth for this information. Boroughs plan, manage and deliver local School Streets. Transport for London holds limited information on the number of School Streets that were delivered using Active Travel Funding. However, boroughs hold complete and up to date information on the number of School Streets currently in place.

School Streets in Wandsworth (2)

Leonie Cooper: How many more School Streets are planned for Wandsworth?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2021/2618. You will need to contact the London Borough of Wandsworth about its plans for School Streets.

Age-Friendly City

Joanne McCartney: What steps are you taking to make London age-friendly for our older Londoners?

The Mayor: I have already worked with partmers to make significant progress on the Age-friendly London programme, since I signed London up to the WHO’s global network of age-friendly communities in 2018.
My officers worked in collaboration with Age UK London and members of my Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Group to produce an action plan, setting out how the work of the GLA Group can respond to the priorities of older Londoners.
That work involved an extensive process of engagement with older Londoners that helped reveal their priority concerns at the point when the pandemic began to take hold.
I drew on this and results of the engagement that has taken place with older Londoners since the pandemic began, along with intelligence from the London Community Response Survey to design the nine recovery missions and the specific projects that will underpin them. These include actions to address employment and skills, digital inclusion and maintaining physical and mental wellbeing.
Mydeputymayor, Debbie Weekes-Bernard will be meeting with theLondonAge-friendlyForum and other older people’sorganisationsin the coming weeks,to discuss howthis work can addressthe needs ofolderLondoners.
I fully anticipate that the priorities of older Londoners will beaddressed through this work.

London & Partners Added Value

Tony Devenish: Please can you give a detailed breakdown of how London & Partners worked out they have added £2.5 Billion to London's Economy?

The Mayor: The additional £2.5 billion that London & Partners (L&P) have added to London’s economy is the extra economic benefit generated as a direct result of their activity since L&P was founded in 2011, compared to what would have taken place without their intervention.
L&P’s activities include attracting Foreign Direct Investment to London; running the Mayor’s International Business Programme helping London’s SMEs to increase their international export trade; supporting London-based businesses to grow; attracting international business conferences, corporate events and major sports and cultural events to the capital; as well as attracting both domestic and international leisure tourists to our city.
The economic benefit of L&P’s activities is measured annually as GVA (gross value added) based on an evaluation model that follows best practice guidance from central government. Their GVA results are externally audited every year, and a detailed breakdown of their GVA methodology is available on their website:
https://files.londonandpartners.com/l-and-p/assets/evaluation_methodology_2021.pdf

Waking Watches and London’s Boroughs

Anne Clarke: Please provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of the number of buildings operating waking watches in London. Please also breakdown the numbers for buildings over 18m and under 18m in each borough.

The Mayor: LondonFire Brigade (LFB) collects data for buildings with a temporary suspension of ‘stay put’ where an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy has been put in place. Such buildings would havea waking watch or evacuation management system in place which could be in the form of personnel on site or a remote monitoring system, to be determined by the Responsible Person with guidance from a competent fire safety professional.
The figures can changeon a daily basis. The number of buildings where an interim simultaneous evacuation strategy has been put in place, as of 14 June 2021, are presented by borough and by height in the table below.
Local Authority
Total blocks
Over 18 metres
Under 18 metres
Barking and Dagenham
14
11
3
Barnet
19
15
4
Bexley
3
3
0
Brent
50
35
15
Bromley
4
2
2
Camden
26
23
3
City of London
1
1
0
Croydon
32
20
12
Ealing
16
11
5
Enfield
3
2
1
Greenwich
68
59
9
Hackney
77
60
17
Hammersmith and Fulham
11
9
2
Haringey
14
8
6
Harrow
3
3
0
Havering
11
11
0
Hillingdon
13
11
2
Hounslow
20
15
5
Islington
47
26
21
Kensington and Chelsea
13
8
5
Kingston upon Thames
4
4
0
Lambeth
50
34
16
Lewisham
41
29
12
Merton
5
3
2
Newham
49
46
3
Redbridge
11
9
2
Richmond
0
0
0
Southwark
66
51
15
Sutton
3
2
1
Tower Hamlets
144
136
8
Waltham Forest
21
21
0
Wandsworth
32
30
2
Westminster
30
26
4
Total
901
724
177

E-Scooter Trial in Richmond

Nicholas Rogers: What processes are in place for monitoring the progress of the e-scooter trial in Richmond?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the participating London boroughs have taken a co-ordinated approach in London in order to drive up safety standards and create a data-rich understanding of the impact of rental e-scooters on all Londoners.
There are various mechanisms in place for this data to be collected across the whole trial area:
In addition, the operators will be subject to on-going monitoring from TfL throughout the trial to ensure that their responsibilities are being met.

A316 Cycle Lane

Nicholas Rogers: Given the recent tragic incident at that location, and other incidents in the past, will theMayorcommit to reviewing the layout and signage of the A316 cycle lane and road in the vicinity of Richmond Rugby Club?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has recently met with representatives of Richmond Rugby Club to discuss the issues surrounding the highway layout and signage of the area, including visibility at the Rugby Club exit, and improvements are being actively investigated. TfL is currently awaiting the outcome of the official police investigation into this incident and will continue to liaise with the Rugby Club and the borough on this matter.

Riverlinx (1)

Elly Baker: How are Riverlinx communicating details of their work to Londoners, particularly the local communities that their work will impact upon?

The Mayor: Riverlinx uses a range of communications methods to engage with local communities.
In addition to one-to-one meetings with local stakeholders, a 24/7 helpline is available for local residents to communicate with the site manager on duty, and a helpdesk e-mail is available at [emailprotected].
An information bulletin is distributed to the local community ahead of works and Community Liaison Groups are held quarterly at which attendees receive an update on the works programme from the Riverlinx project team and can ask questions directly. These have been delivered online but will revert to face-to-face meetings as soon as Government guidelines allow. A website and e-news bulletin are also planned.
Riverlinx have also approached local schools to establish a programme of regular updates and have begun engagement with local agencies supporting young people into apprenticeships.

Ask for ANI referrals

Marina Ahmad: How many offences have been reported to the Police by staff at pharmacies in London participating in the “Ask for ANI” codeword scheme?

The Mayor: The Home Office, which monitors the use of the scheme, has reported that pharmacies in London have used the scheme five times since its inception, of which one instance was reported to the police. The MPS conduct a daily search for references to the scheme and are fully engaged with the Home Office on its delivery.

London Fire Brigade

Nicholas Rogers: Please advise how many incidents in the Surrey Fire Service area were attended by LFB units every year for the last five years?

The Mayor: Please find the information in the following table.
Incidents
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
London Fire Brigade into Surrey
124
80
96
161
288
Surrey has the longest border with London at just over 87 kilometres. There are cost recovery arrangements in place between London Fire Brigade (LFB) and all surrounding Fire and Rescue Services (FRS).The decision on whether to call LFB to attend incidents in Surrey is a decision for Surrey FRS and this is based on their mobilising policies. There are cost recovery arrangements in place between London and the surrounding.

Crossrail

Leonie Cooper: My constituents have raised issues on the safeguarding of sites along the possible Crossrail 2 route and blight on areas that may, or may not, ultimately be affected. Are you able to update me on likely progress on Crossrail 2?

The Mayor: Further to the update provided in response to MQ 2021/1693 in May, staff at Transport for London (TfL) and the Department for Transport (DfT) continue to meet regularly to discuss the safeguarding position for Crossrail 2. The DfT recognise the need to update the 2015 Safeguarding Directions in order that they reflect the changes to the scheme following public consultation, engagement and design development over the last 6 years.However, a decision on updating the Directions is ultimately a Ministerial one and TfL is dependent on the DfT to secure the necessary agreement from the Secretary of State to progress. Therefore, at this time, TfL cannot provide a definitive timeline for when the Directions will be updated, although TfL very much hope it will be as soon as possible this year.

Vaccine support from the Fire Brigade

Zack Polanski: In February the London Fire Brigade (LFB) published a press release which said that the training of LFB staff to give vaccinations was being considered. Given that the Government is now preparing for an unprecedented coronavirus booster jab programme from this Autumn, is the LFB still considering this training?

The Mayor: London Fire Brigade (LFB) has prepared a group of officers to become vaccinators, all of whom have commenced the required NHS training. To date, LFB has supported vaccination events across six London boroughs. LFB has also engaged with local charities to make the vaccine more accessible to people who may not regularly visit a GP. These groups include victims of domestic abuse, sex workers, drug users, asylum seekers, rough sleepers or Londoners that may not speak English as a first language. LFB stand ready to support the NHS booster jab programme, should it be required, in the Autumn.

Key worker housing supply in London

Krupesh Hirani: NHS providers and representatives of workers in the sector, such as the Royal College of Nursing, have raised the issue of housing costs as a key reason as to why it is difficult for key workers to live and work in London. This has a knock-on impact on the recruitment and retention rates of NHS staff. What is the Mayor doing to improve Key worker housing supply in London?

The Mayor: Building more affordable housing is my top housing priority. Over the next five years 79,000 genuinely affordable homes will be started in London across the remainder of the 2016-23 Affordable Homes Programme and my new 2021-26 AHP.
In addition to building more affordable housing, I am committed to strengthening planning guidance to create the expectation that key workers should be prioritised for intermediate housing. Ensuring those most in need of intermediate homes are prioritised for intermediate housing will help to widen access to affordable housing for key workers.
I am also supporting local authorities and housing providers to consider whether it is appropriate for local key workers to be prioritised for intermediate housing on certain sites near a key worker institution. This will be spearheaded at the St Ann’s hospital development in Haringey in partnership with Catalyst housing association and the NHS Trust.

Electric Vehicles and London (3)

Leonie Cooper: Are there some types of vehicle which you would like to see prioritised for electric vehicles, eg vans or small HGVs? Is there anything you can do to encourage businesses to move towards use of electric vehicles?

The Mayor: Numerous life cycle assessments show the environmental benefits are realised much sooner for fleets with high mileage operation than other types of electric vehicles (EVs) such as cars but a challenge for commercial vehicle fleets has been the availability of zero-emission alternatives and the cost premium of early models. Nevertheless, several EV manufacturers have announced plans to supply commercial EVs at a similar or lower overall cost to their diesel equivalents.
I am committed to supporting businesses in London to switch to low emission vehicles. Transport for London is working closely with businesses to understand their EV requirements to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to accelerate and support the switch to EVs. My van scrappage scheme for businesses and charities included a higher payment level for those replacing a van with an electric one. I also continue to call on government to commit to a national scrappage scheme.

Work on Impact of Boundary Charge

Nicholas Rogers: What work has been done to quantify the impact of the boundary charge on local businesses and retail centres such as Kingston?

The Mayor: I stated in my answer to 2021/0109 that Transport for London (TfL) is undertaking a feasibility study into a potential Greater London Boundary Charge for non-Londoners. As part of this, TfL will undertake an initial assessment of the impact of options on traffic, environment, health, equality and the economy, including local businesses and town centres. The full findings of the study are expected later in the year.

Boundary Charge - Consultation with Key Stakeholders

Nicholas Rogers: What consultation regardingthe proposed boundary charge has been done with key stakeholders? What further consultation is planned?

The Mayor: As I set out in responses to 2021/0506 and 2021/0112, I will take a decision on whether to proceed with proposals for a Greater London Boundary Charge once I have considered the feasibility study. This work includes an initial assessment of the potential impacts of such a charge. TfL has been engaging with a range of stakeholders to help identify these impacts.
If proposals for such a scheme are developed, they would be subject to the usual statutory procedure including a full public consultation, which would include consultation with stakeholders.